Yesterday was the first round of judging for the Great British Pub Awards 2011.
I couldn't be there because I had a previous engagement – the Association of Independent Tobacco Specialists' annual lunch at Lords Cricket Ground (guest speaker Tom O'Connor following in the formidable footsteps of Bobby Davros, George Galloway and Boris Johnson).
Anyway, the aim of the first judging round is to select a list of potential winners, national and regional, based on the written entry forms.
The next stage of the judging process involves visits to our preferred candidates, 12-15 pubs scattered around the country. The five finalists will be announced in August and the winner will be revealed at the Great British Pub Awards dinner in London in September.
I've seen some of the written entries and I've been struck by the effort that has been made to accommodate smokers so they don't feel "ostracised" (as one landlord out it) from the rest of the pub.
Branded ceramic ashtrays, mosaic tables, wicker chairs and smoking memorabilia are just some of the attractions, but the most important (apart from blankets and heaters!) is accessibility.
I was struck too by a very British sense of humour. One pub has a series of hand-painted signs that read: 'Please feel free to use ashtrays once the floor is full', 'Please don't put cigarette ends on the floor as they might burn the hands and feet of customers leaving'.
Another features a notice that reads:
This smoking cabin was built by three brave cowboys in the year of our Lord 2010. Despite it being the coldest December ever these brave souls worked on regardless. They had no design and no plans. They just made it up as they went along and with total disregard for health and safety. They were too cold to feel any pain and lots of blood dripped on to the white snow. So please honour their sacrifice and use the ashtrays. I am sure that you will remember them every time that you light up and also when cold water from the terrible roof runs down your neck.
I'm not sure if this is a recommendation for Best Smoking Area but it made me laugh.